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Sit-in could stand in way of national GMO label

Collin Peterson

The ranking member of the House Ag Committee says a Democratic sit in protesting guns might stand in the way of a national GMO labeling standard.

Congressman Collin Peterson of Minnesota tells Brownfield the outcome of the sit in could be that nothing gets done in the House the remainder of the year.

“The other problem we’ve got is the Freedom Caucus and those kind of people in the House who will be against the Senate bill I’m sure.  They are the group that took (former House Speaker) Boehner out because he was working with Democrats.”

He says there will be pressure on House Speaker Paul Ryan to avoid bringing up the Senate’s GMO labeling bill because of partisan politics.

“And the people that will be against the bill on our side of the aisle are a lot of the same people that were protesting the gun situation.  So in this climate, how you would be able to get enough Republicans and Democrats to support something is problematic.”

Peterson says he’s not ready to make a decision on the Senate’s GMO labeling legislation.

“I still think that the House proposal that we passed is a better response.  But it looks like what the Senate’s come up with is something that most people can live with.  But I’m trying to figure out some final details.”

One Senate provision that Peterson agrees with is the exemption of new genetic engineering techniques like gene editing from being labeled biotech.

And while Vermont’s GMO labeling law is scheduled to go into effect July 1st, Peterson does not expect the state to enforce it right away.

 

 

 

 

 

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